Qatar marks World Ozone Day, honours young environmental champions

Doha, Qatar - On September 16, Qatar commemorated World Ozone Day, emphasizing youth involvement and sustainable cooling methods, as the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change paid tribute to students who demonstrated their ingenuity and research on environmental matters. The event, under the auspices of Minister of Environment and Climate Change H.E. Dr Abdullah bin Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Subaie, was organized by the ministry's Department of Chemicals and Hazardous Waste Management.

The theme for World Ozone Day this year was "Global Action for a Cooler Planet," underscoring the significance of international collaboration in safeguarding the ozone layer and mitigating the environmental and climate effects linked to cooling technologies. A notable segment of the event was the awarding of prizes to the winners of the "Best Illustrated Short Story on Ozone Layer Protection" competition, a joint initiative with the Qatar Reads program from the Qatar National Library.

Faisal Mesfer Al Meseifri emerged as the winner of the first place, followed by Al Maha Hisham Kazem in second place and Ali Mohammed Al Marri taking third place. The stories submitted addressed the critical role of the ozone layer in sustaining life on Earth, the impact of the Montreal Protocol on its preservation, and the collective responsibility of individuals and communities in environmental conservation.

Expert judges assessed the entries based on innovation, creativity, pertinence to ozone-layer protection, and the clarity and educational impact of the message.

The first-place winner received a monetary prize of QR4,000, along with the honor of having their winning story printed and officially published. The second- and third-place winners were awarded QR3,000 and QR2,000, respectively. Additionally, certificates of appreciation and participation were awarded to all participants. The ministry also recognized the winners of a scientific research competition on the Minamata Convention on Mercury, organized in cooperation with the Ministry of Education and Higher Education.